Chapter 5

Meanwhile, at the castle, Erica woke up feeling a bit frustrated. She had been thinking about Prince Arison all night, and she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was being forced into something she didn't want.

As she got dressed, she heard a knock on the door. It was one of the servants, come to inform her that Prince Arison was waiting for her in the garden.

Erica sighed, feeling trapped. She didn't want to see Prince Arison again, but she knew she had to be polite.

As she made her way to the garden, she saw Prince Arison waiting for her, looking handsome but uninteresting to her. "Good day, Princess," he said, bowing low.

Erica forced a smile onto her face. "Good day, Prince Arison."

"I didn't see you at the welcoming party held by your father, the king," Prince Arison said. "So I asked one of the servants to summon you. I hope I'm not bothering you."

Erica smiled. "No, of course not," she replied.

Prince Arison smiled back. "Okay, then let's take a walk," he offered.

The two of them walked together in silence for a while, Erica trying to think of something to say to break the awkwardness.

Suddenly, Prince Arison spoke up. "Princess, I was thinking... maybe we could take a ride together today? I have a beautiful horse that I think you would love."

Erica hesitated, unsure of what to say. She didn't want to spend more time with Prince Arison, but she also didn't want to be rude.

Just as she was trying to think of an excuse, a loud noise came from outside the garden. It sounded like a commotion was brewing.

Erica's eyes widened in surprise. "Where do u think that commotion is coming from.?" she asked Prince Arison, her curiosity piqued.

Prince Arison's expression changed from polite to concerned. "What's going on?" he asked one of the servants, who was rushing towards them.

The servant looked worried. "It's the villagers, Your Highness. They're protesting outside the castle walls."

Erica's eyes widened in surprise. What were the villagers protesting about?

As the protest outside the castle walls continued to grow, Prince Arison and the castle guards went out to meet the protesters. They were a mix of villagers and townspeople, all frightened and angry.

"What's going on here?" Prince Arison asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

One of the protesters, a young woman, stepped forward. "It's the creature, Your Highness," she said, her voice shaking. "It's been attacking our villages, killing our people."

Prince Arison's expression turned serious. "I've heard rumors of a strange creature lurking in the shadows," he said. "But I didn't think it was this serious."

The protesters began to murmur among themselves, sharing stories of the creature's attacks. Prince Arison listened intently, his mind racing with questions.

Just as it seemed like the situation was about to escalate into chaos, the old man appeared, his eyes fixed intently on Prince Arison.

"You don't know what you're dealing with, Prince Arison," the old man said, his voice low and gravelly. "This creature is not of this world. It's a monster, a creature of the night."

The protesters gasped, shocked by the old man's words. Prince Arison's eyes narrowed, intrigued.

"What do you know about this creature?" he asked, his voice firm.

The old man smiled, revealing crooked teeth. "I know that it's been awakened by some dark force," he said. "And I know that it will stop at nothing to claim this kingdom as its own."

The villagers gathered outside the castle walls, their voices raised in protest. They carried signs and banners, demanding justice and protection from the castle authorities.

At the forefront of the protest was a young woman named Sophia. She was determined and passionate, her eyes blazing with anger.

"What do we want?" she shouted, her voice carrying across the crowd.

"Justice!" the villagers replied in unison.

Sophia turned to face the castle gates. "We demand that the castle authorities take action to protect us from the mysterious creature that's been terrorizing our village!"

Just then, a commotion broke out at the edge of the crowd. A group of villagers came running in, looking frantic and terrified.

"What's wrong?" Sophia asked, her eyes scanning the crowd.

One of the villagers, a young man named Thomas, stepped forward. "It's the creature," he said, his voice shaking. "It's killed two of our villagers. We're all scared for our lives."

The villagers began to murmur among themselves, their fear and panic palpable. Sophia's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with questions.Sophia turned to face prince Arison. "We're protesting the castle authorities' inaction in the face of this mysterious creature," she said. "It's killed two of our villagers, and we demand justice."

Prince Arison's expression turned serious. "I'll do what I can to help," he said. "But first, I need to know more about this creature. Can you tell me what it looks like?"

Thomas hesitated, as if unsure of how to describe what he had seen. "It's...it's like nothing I've ever seen before," he said finally. "It has glowing eyes and it moves so fast, it's like a blur."

Prince Arison's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with questions. He knew that he had to get to the bottom of this mystery, and fast.

Prince Arison's eyes locked onto Thomas. "I need to speak with you further," he said. "Can you come with me?"

Thomas nodded, still looking shaken. Prince Arison turned to Sophia. "I'll do everything I can to help you and your village," he said. "But I need to understand more about this creature."

Sophia nodded, a hint of determination in her eyes. "I'll come with you," she said. "I want to make sure that something is done about this creature."

Prince Arison nodded, and the three of them set off towards the castle. As they walked, Prince Arison asked Thomas more questions about the creature.

"What time of day did you see it?" he asked.

Thomas thought for a moment. "It was at night," he said. "I was out collecting firewood when I saw it. It was moving so fast, I barely had time to react."

Prince Arison's eyes narrowed. "Did you see where it came from?" he asked.

Thomas shook his head. "No, I didn't," he said. "But I did see where it went. It disappeared into the forest."

Prince Arison's mind was racing with possibilities. He knew that he had to investigate further, and he knew just the person to help him.

As they approached the castle, Prince Arison spotted Erica standing with the castle guards, heading towards their way. She looked concerned, her eyes scanning the crowd.

"Erica," Prince Arison called out, his voice low. "What's going on?"

Erica's eyes locked onto his, and she quickened her pace. "Prince Arison, I'm so glad I found you," she said.Whats the situation about,it's about a mysterious creature, responded Prince Arison.

Prince Arison's eyes narrowed. "Thomas here saw it attack two villagers."

Erica's eyes widened in shock. "That's terrible," she said. "We need to do something to stop it."

Prince Arison nodded. "I agree. Thomas, can you tell Erica what you told me about the creature?"

Thomas nodded, and began to recount his story. Erica listened intently, her eyes never leaving his face.

As Thomas finished speaking, Erica turned to Prince Arison. "I think I might know something about this creature," she said. "I've been researching some old legends and myths, and I think I might have found a connection."

Prince Arison's eyes locked onto hers. "What kind of connection?" he asked.

Erica hesitated, as if unsure of how to reveal her discovery. "I think the creature might be a...a vampire," she said finally.

Prince Arison's eyes widened in shock. "A vampire?" he repeated. "Are you sure?"

Erica nodded. "I'm positive," she said. "And I think I know why it's been attacking the villagers."

Erica took a deep breath before continuing. "I've been researching the history of the castle and the surrounding village," she said. "And I think I've found a connection between the vampire and an ancient legend."

Prince Arison's eyes narrowed. "What legend?" he asked.

Erica hesitated, as if unsure of how to reveal her discovery. "It's an old story about a powerful vampire who was said to have ruled this kingdom centuries ago," she said. "The legend says that the vampire was a cruel and ruthless creature who preyed on the villagers."

"Let's go inside," she said. "We can talk more about this later."

Prince Arison nodded, and together they made their way back into the castle. The welcoming celebration for Lord Robertson was still in full swing, with music and laughter filling the air.

Erica's parents, the king and queen, were still mingling with the guests, unaware of the commotion that had just occurred outside. Erica and Prince Arison exchanged a glance, deciding not to disturb them for now.

As they made their way through the crowd, Erica couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. She kept looking over her shoulder, expecting to see the vampire looming in the shadows.

But there was no sign of it. Just the usual castle staff and guests, enjoying the celebration.

Erica and Prince Arison finally reached the safety of a quiet corridor, where they could talk without being overheard.

"What do you think is going on?" Erica asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Prince Arison's expression was thoughtful. "I don't know," he said. "But I think we're just starting to scratch the surface of something much bigger."